The Prize

The Epic Quest for Oil, Money & Power

By: Daniel Yergin

Narrated by: Bob Jamieson

Length: 2 hrs and 51 mins

Publisher's summary

The Prize recounts the panoramic history of oil, and the struggle for wealth and power that has always surrounded oil. This struggle has shaken the world economy, dictated the outcome of wars, and transformed the destiny of men and nations.

The Prize is as much a history of the 20th-century as of the oil industry itself. The canvas of this history is enormous - from the drilling of the first well in Pennsylvania through two great world wars to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait and Operation Desert Storm.

The cast extends from wildcrafters and rogues to oil tycoons, and from Winston Churchill and Ibn Saud to George Bush and Saddam Hussein.

The definitive work on the subject of oil and a major contribution to understanding our century, The Prize is a book of extraordinary breadth, riveting excitement--and great importance.

©1993 Daniel Yergin (P)2008 Simon & Schuster

Critic reviews

Pulitzer Prize, General Non-Fiction, 1992

Good, quick history

Would you listen to The Prize again? Why?

I would listen to the Prize again because it is a concise history of middle eastern oil politics. There is much to be said about the middle east, but Yergin stays focused on his topic. The result is a listen which can be repeated without committing days or weeks.

Understanding The Importance Of Oil To Our Economy

What made the experience of listening to The Prize the most enjoyable?

The Prize is the most enlightening book I've every read on the importantance of oil to our economy.

What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?

The most compelling aspect of the book to me is how the use of oil, availability of oil, and the technoloy used to produce oil, have changed since the 1850s. I learned how oil drives the engine of global prosperity.

What does Bob Jamieson bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Listening to Bob Jamieson read the Prize to me enables me to enjoy the book far more often then if I had to read it in written form. I can listen to it while I do other activities such as exercise, work, or simply relax.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

The book has helped me to understand, and be aware of the importance of oil to the global economy in a way that nothing else has before.

Any additional comments?

I believe every thinking American should read this book.

Disappointed with an abridged version

The book seems great but it's really unfortunate that only the abridged version is available.

Great listen, but maybe too abridged?

Where does The Prize rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This was a great book and the audiobook certainly does it justice. If you want to hear about the intrigues of oil from the 60s into the 90s, then this is a great listen for you.

The beginning (first hour or so) is the most abridged part, so if you aren't familiar with the history at all, it might be worth listening to twice since a lot happens.

Overall, this is one of the better purchases I have made.

Who was your favorite character and why?

This book mentions a number of people and provides a few vignettes about them, but the abridged nature of the audiobook doesn't let you follow their progression for very long.

What about Bob Jamieson’s performance did you like?

No complaints here.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

This book will neither make you laugh nor cry, but it does give you some excellent information about the development of world oil: oil exploration, oil contracts, oil personalities.

Any additional comments?

I had read this book a number of years ago, so I mainly got the abridged audiobook to jog my memory a bit. It was well worth the price I paid, however, a lot of the fascinating stories that were in the book got cut out (particularly about the early development of the oil business - with crazy deals and even crazier characters: Samuel, Teague, Gulbenkian, etc.).

Still, if you are interested in these stories, there is a great PBS mini-series called "The Prize" that captures all of that very well.

If you want more recent information on energy markets, I suggest getting Yergin's latest book, "The Quest".

Get the unabridged version

This is a very interesting book, but the abridged version is too abrupt. It's quite clear that something is missing.

Outstanding

This is a unique book about a rather complex topic. It reads like a thriller and I didn't want to stop listening. Daniel Yergin is really a master in making these topics accessible, with a good written story.

Poor Narrator

The narrator was emotionless, too fast, and made no attempt to help the listener to follow. Very disappointed.

wish there was the unabridged version

it seems like everything was glossed over. it would have been a more interesting read if there was some more conflict.

Abridged

I wish I would have looked more carefully before purchasing, but the book itself is great.

oil and international relations

Very interesting review of events like the oil embargo and international relations before and after this episode. Gave me some new insights regarding the economy, politics, and the risks of being dependent on another country.